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194507 [2016/01/14 15:38] – tyreless194507 [2016/01/14 15:41] (current) – tyreless
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 The Federation Dance at Winns on June 29th, was an outstanding success and ("wot is more important", as the mercenary organisers might say) realised over £30 for the Federation's bank balance. The Federation Dance at Winns on June 29th, was an outstanding success and ("wot is more important", as the mercenary organisers might say) realised over £30 for the Federation's bank balance.
  
-The dancing was interspersed with sketches, and all went merry as a marriage bell. In accordance with the expressed wish of the Federation there was a +The dancing was interspersed with sketches, and all went merry as a marriage bell. In accordance with the expressed wish of the Federation there was a complete absence of liquor but, fortunately, hitting below the belt in the sketches was not prohibited. Otherwise the orchestra would probably have had to be restrained from playing hymns.
-complete absence of liquor but, fortunately, hitting below the belt in the sketches was not prohibited. Otherwise the orchestra would probably have had to be restrained from playing hymns.+
  
 =====Fires In The Kiola State Forest!===== =====Fires In The Kiola State Forest!=====
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 We were to be guests of the Forestry Dept., and Marie as sponsor of the trip went through periodical spaces of apprehension seeing with a forward gazing eye the charred and blackened ruins of what had once been a beautiful spotted gum forest, virgin and unknown to fire until our visitation. We were to be guests of the Forestry Dept., and Marie as sponsor of the trip went through periodical spaces of apprehension seeing with a forward gazing eye the charred and blackened ruins of what had once been a beautiful spotted gum forest, virgin and unknown to fire until our visitation.
  
-Our select party of five and two halves, (not counting Rona who is still in square pants and can hardly be tagged with any number east of the decimal point), all of the feminine persuasion, travelled some 200 miles south per +Our select party of five and two halves, (not counting Rona who is still in square pants and can hardly be tagged with any number east of the decimal point), all of the feminine persuasion, travelled some 200 miles south per train and service car and Forestry lorry and were finally unstacked at Pebbly Beach on a clearing formerly the site of a sawmill. From a background of mountains the forest, untamed and beautiful, swept down to the curved sea shore, and the small clearing with its few derelict huts of rough sewn timber slept quietly within the ridges' safe encircling arms.
-train and service car and Forestry lorry and were finally unstacked at Pebbly Beach on a clearing formerly the site of a sawmill. From a background of mountains the forest, untamed and beautiful, swept down to the curved sea shore, and the small clearing with its few derelict huts of rough sewn timber slept quietly within the ridges' safe encircling arms.+
  
 The driver of the Forestry lorry pointed out a tank of water he had placed under a tree for our use and departed with our hearty thanks for the Department's many kindnesses. The driver of the Forestry lorry pointed out a tank of water he had placed under a tree for our use and departed with our hearty thanks for the Department's many kindnesses.
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 =====Bruce Simpson - New Guinea To "Dunk"===== =====Bruce Simpson - New Guinea To "Dunk"=====
  
-Have just received your letter of the 15th April and as I have been thinking of dropping you a line for some time now and as there is no time like the present, here goes. You know, I think, that I am in New Guinea. I sent you a lettercard from here just before Christmas, and you will have guessed that I have been in action for a couple of months now - you said "I wonder where you are making your presence felt now, and what fun you are having." As for where I am, the newspapers will give you the exact locations. I am not permitted to say any more than "I am in New Guinea." But then there is only one campaign going on in N.G. at present, so it should not be hard to guess. And I will say this - the War Correspondents are being given a pretty free hand in reporting this campaign. You are getting the dinkum oil on this show, just as soon as it happens. There is no delay in releasing information on this campaign. We see the Sydney and Brisbane newspapers the day after you do and I am often surprised how +Have just received your letter of the 15th April and as I have been thinking of dropping you a line for some time now and as there is no time like the present, here goes. You know, I think, that I am in New Guinea. I sent you a lettercard from here just before Christmas, and you will have guessed that I have been in action for a couple of months now - you said "I wonder where you are making your presence felt now, and what fun you are having." As for where I am, the newspapers will give you the exact locations. I am not permitted to say any more than "I am in New Guinea." But then there is only one campaign going on in N.G. at present, so it should not be hard to guess. And I will say this - the War Correspondents are being given a pretty free hand in reporting this campaign. You are getting the dinkum oil on this show, just as soon as it happens. There is no delay in releasing information on this campaign. We see the Sydney and Brisbane newspapers the day after you do and I am often surprised how up-to-the-minute they are. Australian National Airways give us a great service in this regard. For months past their plane - a big Silver Douglas - has flown right over every one of our positions along the coast and dropped yesterday's Sydney and Brisbane newspapers to the troops right from the front line back to base. And boy! there sure is a race and a scramble for those papers - at least in our areas, for of course artillery positions are comparatively safe, being behind the protective infantry and in parts of this country you're out of view of the enemy at fifty yards. Sometimes however, its quite different.
-up-to-the-minute they are. Australian National Airways give us a great service in this regard. For months past their plane - a big Silver Douglas - has flown right over every one of our positions along the coast and dropped yesterday's Sydney and Brisbane newspapers to the troops right from the front line back to base. And boy! there sure is a race and a scramble for those papers - at least in our areas, for of course artillery positions are comparatively safe, being behind the protective infantry and in parts of this country you're out of view of the enemy at fifty yards. Sometimes however, its quite different.+
  
 One day the "newspaper bomber" circled our gun position twice, came in very low and tossed us a couple of parcels. Imagine the excitement when it was discovered that the larger parcel contained twenty Peters Ice Cream Bricks! It was like manna from Heaven. A gift from Peters' Brisbane Manager. And very much appreciated by all. Nobody ever thought they'd see ice cream in this part of the world, much less be eating it in the front line! And the other parcel contained a fruit cake baked the day before by the pilot's next door neighbour in Brisbane who wanted to do something for the boys up north. And that was very much appreciated by all too. At that time (end of February) we ware still waiting for our Christmas parcels to arrive! One day the "newspaper bomber" circled our gun position twice, came in very low and tossed us a couple of parcels. Imagine the excitement when it was discovered that the larger parcel contained twenty Peters Ice Cream Bricks! It was like manna from Heaven. A gift from Peters' Brisbane Manager. And very much appreciated by all. Nobody ever thought they'd see ice cream in this part of the world, much less be eating it in the front line! And the other parcel contained a fruit cake baked the day before by the pilot's next door neighbour in Brisbane who wanted to do something for the boys up north. And that was very much appreciated by all too. At that time (end of February) we ware still waiting for our Christmas parcels to arrive!
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 I take my hat off to the infantry - they are doing a marvellous job in those cruel mountains. We consider it an honour to give them all the support we can, whenever and wherever they require it. They're heroes, every blinkin' one of 'em. I take my hat off to the infantry - they are doing a marvellous job in those cruel mountains. We consider it an honour to give them all the support we can, whenever and wherever they require it. They're heroes, every blinkin' one of 'em.
  
-At present I am resting - this battery is out for a week or so - and we are bivouac'd by the sea. It is a pleasant break before we go in again. Here we are getting fresh (frozen) meat and butter several times a week. It is flown in and dropped by parachute by the "kai bombers" and a very welcome change it is from tinned rations - bully beef, M & V, service biscuits and dehydrated vegetables etc. I'm afraid I won't take too kindy to lightweight walking when I get back. My pack will contain great hunks of steak, bags of bananas, peaches and cream - and the mileage for the weekend walk must not exceed ten! There'll be a lot of "armchair walkers" in the Clubs after the war, I reckon.+At present I am resting - this battery is out for a week or so - and we are bivouac'd by the sea. It is a pleasant break before we go in again. Here we are getting fresh (frozen) meat and butter several times a week. It is flown in and dropped by parachute by the "kai bombers" and a very welcome change it is from tinned rations - bully beef, M & V, service biscuits and dehydrated vegetables etc. I'm afraid I won't take too kindly to lightweight walking when I get back. My pack will contain great hunks of steak, bags of bananas, peaches and cream - and the mileage for the weekend walk must not exceed ten! There'll be a lot of "armchair walkers" in the Clubs after the war, I reckon.
  
 We have our lighter moments here at times. For instance, the boong boy who went past this morning, riding an old Jap bicycle up the track. It had no tyres, no brakes, no oil, very little seat, and he was pushing like hell to make it go through the sand. But he had the usual cheery smile on his face. And in reply to my greeting "How are you going, Joseph?" he grinned even more broadly and said "Wheely-wheel belonga me, 'e bugger-up finish". I like their language - it is so expressive. "Bugger-up finish" - a very common expression - needs no explanation. But perhaps I should mention that a bicycle is "wheely-wheel sit-down run", which is quite a good description of a push-bike isn't it? We have our lighter moments here at times. For instance, the boong boy who went past this morning, riding an old Jap bicycle up the track. It had no tyres, no brakes, no oil, very little seat, and he was pushing like hell to make it go through the sand. But he had the usual cheery smile on his face. And in reply to my greeting "How are you going, Joseph?" he grinned even more broadly and said "Wheely-wheel belonga me, 'e bugger-up finish". I like their language - it is so expressive. "Bugger-up finish" - a very common expression - needs no explanation. But perhaps I should mention that a bicycle is "wheely-wheel sit-down run", which is quite a good description of a push-bike isn't it?
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 The waterfall was running in great style, falling about 50ft down the cliff on to a flat rock just behind a little beach where anyone could easily have a fresh-water shower after swimming in the salt water. This pretty waterfall and the little beach in front of it make Refuge Bay one of the well-known places in the area. The waterfall was running in great style, falling about 50ft down the cliff on to a flat rock just behind a little beach where anyone could easily have a fresh-water shower after swimming in the salt water. This pretty waterfall and the little beach in front of it make Refuge Bay one of the well-known places in the area.
  
-Immediately after lunch we began the return trip to Towlers Bay, making the elementary error of trying to find an easier route than the one we had come on. As usual, the route we followed was much harder than the original, with the result that we found ourselves climbing over boulders, walking ?? and making our way through thick undergrowth. We realised that this country was very rough indeed, when, after circling around Topham Mountain we decided to cut across country to Towlers Bay. The best way from here would have been to follow the ridge back again to Bairn Trig.+Immediately after lunch we began the return trip to Towlers Bay, making the elementary error of trying to find an easier route than the one we had come on. As usual, the route we followed was much harder than the original, with the result that we found ourselves climbing over boulders, walking [illegible] and making our way through thick undergrowth. We realised that this country was very rough indeed, when, after circling around Topham Mountain we decided to cut across country to Towlers Bay. The best way from here would have been to follow the ridge back again to Bairn Trig.
  
 On reaching Towlers Bay we just had time for a shower before catching the motor boat back to Church Point. Youth Hostel Association members had proved once more that they are capable of completing arduous bush walks. On reaching Towlers Bay we just had time for a shower before catching the motor boat back to Church Point. Youth Hostel Association members had proved once more that they are capable of completing arduous bush walks.
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 If you have not done any trips, have no imagination, are incoherent illiterate and purposeless, you are excused, otherwise; your duty is obvious. If you have not done any trips, have no imagination, are incoherent illiterate and purposeless, you are excused, otherwise; your duty is obvious.
  
-Typrewritten, Double-spaces articles will be most welcome.+Typewritten, Double-spaces articles will be most welcome.
  
 =====Let There Be Light===== =====Let There Be Light=====
194507.txt · Last modified: 2016/01/14 15:41 by tyreless
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